Patents by Inventor Hisashi Kyotani

Hisashi Kyotani has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7293505
    Abstract: A conveyance truck movable along travel rails includes a suspended supporting device for supporting a vehicle body, a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the suspended supporting device, and a posture adjusting device for adjusting the posture of the vehicle body. The raising and lowering device includes a first supporting axle disposed in the front section in the travel direction, a second supporting axle provided in the rear section movable towards and away from the first supporting axle, a crank arm supported rotatably on the second supporting axle and having the suspended supporting device supported rotatably at its free end portion, a swinging arm fixed to the first supporting axle and having a free end portion coupled to an intermediate position of the crank arm, and an arm drive mechanism for causing the crank arm to rotate about the second supporting axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignees: Taikisha Ltd., Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izuru Matsubara, Hisashi Kyotani
  • Patent number: 7238392
    Abstract: A swinging link mechanism, provided on a conveyance truck, for raising and lowering a vehicle body held on a supporting member includes a first arm having a fixed end section which is attached to the conveyance truck in a vertically rotatable manner by means of a horizontally oriented support axle, a second arm having a fixed end section supported rotatably on the free end section of the first arm and having a supporting member provided on the free end section thereof, and a third arm coupled rotatably between the conveyance truck and a prescribed position on the second arm. Third arm is caused to rotate the second arm in the opposite direction to the first arm in response to rotation of the first arm, thereby to make the lower movement path of the supporting member to extend substantially vertically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignees: Taikisha Ltd., Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20070000758
    Abstract: A conveyor system including a crank arm having a base end portion rotatably supported by a second support axle and a free end portion rotatably supporting a suspended supporting apparatus, and a swinging arm having a base end portion fixed to a first support axle and a front end portion coupled to an intermediate position of the crank arm. A movable bearing stand supporting the second support axle is provided to be movable toward and away from a fixed bearing stand supporting the first support axle. Further, a suspended section parallel link mechanism of a suspended supporting apparatus is so configured that a free end support axle is located above a line connecting suspension pins at both ends of an upper frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Inventors: Izuru Matsubara, Hisashi Kyotani
  • Patent number: 7134541
    Abstract: A conveyance truck movable along travel rails includes a suspended supporting device for supporting a vehicle body, a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the suspended supporting device, and a posture adjusting device for adjusting the posture of the vehicle body. The raising and lowering device includes a first supporting axle disposed in the front section in the travel direction, a second supporting axle provided in the rear section movable towards and away from the first supporting axle, a crank arm supported rotatably on the second supporting axle and having the suspended supporting device supported rotatably at its free end portion, a swinging arm fixed to the first supporting axle and having a free end portion coupled to an intermediate position of the crank arm, and an arm drive mechanism for causing the crank arm to rotate about the second supporting axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignees: Taikisha Ltd., Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izuru Matsubara, Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20060249351
    Abstract: A conveyance truck movable along travel rails includes a suspended supporting device for supporting a vehicle body, a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the suspended supporting device, and a posture adjusting device for adjusting the posture of the vehicle body. The raising and lowering device includes a first supporting axle disposed in the front section in the travel direction, a second supporting axle provided in the rear section movable towards and away from the first supporting axle, a crank arm supported rotatably on the second supporting axle and having the suspended supporting device supported rotatably at its free end portion, a swinging arm fixed to the first supporting axle and having a free end portion coupled to an intermediate position of the crank arm, and an arm drive mechanism for causing the crank arm to rotate about the second supporting axle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Izuru Matsubara, Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20060175141
    Abstract: An elevating transport apparatus for elevating and transporting a body to be transported, with an elevating section connecting a transport path and a transport path positioned at different heights. A first support shaft in the horizontal direction and a second support shaft are disposed parallel to each other on a stand. The second support shaft can be freely moved to approach or separate from the first support shaft, with guide apparatuses. A crank arm is supported by the second support shaft, and a distal end portion of a swing arm supported by the first support shaft is linked via a linking shaft to an intermediate position of the crank arm. A transport body support apparatus is provided via a free end support shaft on the free end section of the crank arm and can hold the body via a transport machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventor: Hisashi Kyotani
  • Patent number: 7081164
    Abstract: An operating arm (12) supported on a movable body (3) is operated to move downwards, and a supporting body (14) located on the front end section of the operating arm (12) is rotated about an axis in the lateral direction of a processing line (L), whereby a conveyance object (M) supported on the supporting body (14) is immersed in a processing liquid in a processing liquid tank (1) and processed by the same. Furthermore, the conveyance object (M) is removed from the processing liquid, during which operation the supporting member (14) is rotated in accordance with the shape of the conveyance object (M), thereby controlling the angle of the conveyance object (M) upon introduction into the processing liquid, the angle of the conveyance object (M) during immersion in the processing liquid, and the angle of the conveyance object (M) upon removal from the processing liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20050139158
    Abstract: A conveyance truck movable along a coating line provided with a dip tank includes a suspended supporting device for supporting a vehicle body, a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the suspended supporting device, and a posture adjusting device for adjusting the posture of the vehicle body by operating the suspended supporting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Izuru Matsubara, Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20050061239
    Abstract: A swinging link mechanism, provided on a conveyance truck, for raising and lowering a vehicle body held on a supporting member includes a first arm having a fixed end section which is attached to the conveyance truck in a vertically rotatable manner by means of a horizontally oriented support axle, a second arm having a fixed end section supported rotatably on the free end section of the first arm and having a supporting member provided on the free end section thereof, and a third arm coupled rotatably between the conveyance truck and a prescribed position on the second arm. Third arm is caused to rotate the second arm in the opposite direction to the first arm in response to rotation of the first arm, thereby to make the lower movement path of the supporting member to extend substantially vertically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventor: Hisashi Kyotani
  • Publication number: 20040149542
    Abstract: An operating arm (12) supported on a movable body (3) is operated to move downwards, and a supporting body (14) located on the front end section of the operating arm (12) is rotated about an axis in the lateral direction of a processing line (L), whereby a conveyance object (M) supported on the supporting body (14) is immersed in a processing liquid in a processing liquid tank (1) and processed by the same. Furthermore, the conveyance object (M) is removed from the processing liquid, during which operation the supporting member (14) is rotated in accordance with the shape of the conveyance object (M), thereby controlling the angle of the conveyance object (M) upon introduction into the processing liquid, the angle of the conveyance object (M) during immersion in the processing liquid, and the angle of the conveyance object (M) upon removal from the processing liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventor: Hisashi Kyotani
  • Patent number: 6655297
    Abstract: In a transfer system using movable bodies supported and guided by a rail through a plurality of guided devices so that they are capable of moving in a given path, when a movable body taken out from the given path is transferred to a separate given path or restored to the original given path, the movable body needs be separated or joined while being longitudinally moved, thus requiring a long path for separating or joining. The invention provides a system comprising a group of guided devices relatively turnably connected to main bodies of the movable bodies through vertical shafts, a plurality of divisional rail bodies capable of supporting the group of guided devices and disposed in a set path portion in the given path, turning means for turning these divisional rail bodies around vertical axes, and a group of transverse rail bodies disposed laterally of the set path portion such that the divisional rail bodies turned for separation from the rail can be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kawato, Takashi Uehara, Hisashi Kyotani, Takaharu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030196566
    Abstract: In a transfer system using movable bodies supported and guided by a rail through a plurality of guided devices so that they are capable of moving in a given path, when a movable body taken out from the given path is transferred to a separate given path or restored to the original given path, the movable body needs be separated or joined while being longitudinally moved, thus requiring a long path for separating or joining. The invention provides a system comprising a group of guided devices relatively turnably connected to main bodies of the movable bodies through vertical shafts, a plurality of divisional rail bodies capable of supporting the group of guided devices and disposed in a set path portion in the given path, turning means for turning these divisional rail bodies around vertical axes, and a group of transverse rail bodies disposed laterally of the set path portion such that the divisional rail bodies turned for separation from the rail can be connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: DAIFUKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Kawato, Takashi Uehara, Hisashi Kyotani, Takaharu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5839567
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a conveying system such as in an assembly line, more particularly to a plurality of transport cars without motor that are driven in close contact with each other on an endless path on guide rails having curved sections, and a friction feeder for moving the transport cars. The cars have a main body and a support for objects to be conveyed. The main body has a plurality of movable bodies and means for coupling the movable bodies to allow a relative yielding motion between the movable bodies at the curved sections in the conveying paths. Driven faces are formed on the movable bodies parallel to the running direction, and a feeder along the conveying path and having a motor driven feed roller that acts on the driven faces of the movable bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kyotani, Takashi Okamura, Kiyoshi Hamano